Celebrating a Great City and a Great Father

I'm not much into words with as many syllables as I have sisters - six - but if it's just the right one, well, then that's another story. As Fort Collins celebrates its 150th anniversary, so is my family marking the 90th anniversary of our father's birth. Hear all about it by clicking on the link below, which contains an audio version of my June 26, 2014 column in "The Coloradoan." 

"Happy Heavenly Birthday, Bob!" You, Dad, are missed beyond words.

Long May Flag Day Wave

Flag Day has taken on a profoundly new significance for many in northern Colorado, as I wrote in my May 22, 2014 column in The Fort Collins Coloradoan. Click on the 3:30 link below to hear why:







Glory be, I didn't think I could love Old Glory more!

The Gauchers' touching life and death story is one of such honor, such inspiration. In fact, I'm working on a book with Whitney and Tammy about their families' lives and Nick's and Paul's deaths, as well as another beyond words and this world individual, Mr. Bob Drysdale. Bob's widow, Cindy Drysdale-Kaufman, and his daughter, Erin Drysdale, are also contributing, as is Wellington Middle School Principal Dr. Alicia Durand and a host of other VIPs.

If you've been blessed with a connection with any and/or all of the above, we'd love to hear your story. Email me, Brenda Rader Mross, at radermross@msn.com, or call me at 970.568.0588.

God Loves Ram Fans

Westboro Baptist Church is so anti-gay, they can't see straight. Click below to hear what I wrote in my April 24, 2014 "Fort Collins Coloradoan" column about the church protesting Colorado State University's May 17 commencement exercises:


Some people, right? Thank God some people's kids - like my graduating CSU senior - are able to see with such clarity.

Got Time for a Riddle?

There's just no way to intro this piece without giving "it" away, so, rather, I'll invite you to click on the 3:28 link below to hear my March 27, 2014 column in The Fort Collins Coloradoan: 




Riddled out? Or are you game for another? Send me your favorite!

Students Surprise and Amaze during Black History Month

There's a rich history of honoring Black History Month on the Colorado State University campus, where there's a lot of "telling it like it is." And was. I was honored to feature the BAACC (Black/African American Culture Center) in my Feb. 27 "Coloradoan" newspaper column. Hear all about it in the 3:37 link below:





When Negro History Week was expanded to Black History Month in 1976, President Gerald Ford urged Americans "to seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history." Amen, and say it again! And again! And again...

Stoners of a Painfully Different Ilk

Ironic, isn't it, that the two states in the U.S. that have legalized marijuana are on opposing sides in Super Bowl XLVIII. Regardless of how you feel about "Mary Jane," you should check out Bruce Barcott's feature in the Jan. 31, 2014 issue of "Rolling Stone" magazine. 'Tis indeed thought-provoking. My Jan. 23 community column in "The Fort Collins Coloradoan" may not blow your mind, but I hope it will enlighten nonetheless. Click on the link below to hear what I mean:





"Go, Broncos!"

Small Town Support is the Cure

Children aren't supposed to get the Big C, and yet, they do. Click on the link below to hear how a cool kid in a close-knit Colorado community is coping, as I wrote in my Dec. 26, 2103 monthly column for The Fort Collins Coloradoan newspaper:





I hope your Christmas was made merrier than ever, thanks to those you love. Here's to a beautifully bountiful 2014!